Two North Vancouver structure fires have left at least four people out of home and three businesses shuttered in 24 hours.
The first broke out on a two-storey mixed-use building on the 1600-block of Marine Drive just after 7 p.m. Tuesday.
District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services and North Vancouver City Fire Department members both responded.
"The crews did a great job aggressively attacking the fire, getting it under control," said assistant district fire chief Jason De Roy. "Initially, the residents were all unaccounted for. They were able to confirm once they searched that they were all out."
The businesses - a piano store, Oriental rug store and a surveillance equipment store - all suffered fire damage. The three upstairs apartments took enough smoke damage to make them uninhabitable for the time being.
As of Thursday, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
"It appears it started possibly in the basement area but exactly what the cause is is unconfirmed," De Roy said.
The two departments were working together again first thing Wednesday morning when a resident on the 700-block of Third Street called 9-1-1 reporting smoke and flames coming from a neighbour's home.
By the time the crews arrived, the fire had done considerable damage to the laundry room and common area while heat and smoke damaged the rest of the first and second floor of the 70-yearold home, according to assistant city fire chief Bob Schreiner.
It will be up to investigators to determine if the building is salvageable, he added.
Schreiner said the homeowner, who was alone at the time, made the right decision to get out quickly, ask a neighbour to call for help and then stay out. Fires tend to spread quickly in homes with open concepts, he said.
"As distraught as the person was, they absolutely did the right thing in getting out. People often think 'I'll make a quick play for the family heirlooms or the treasures' and in my history, I've seen that go bad. Real bad," Schreiner said. "People have gone in and out collecting valuables until finally there's a small pile of valuables on the front lawn and, unfortunately, a casualty on the inside."
